Happy Valley preps for night game
By Walt Frank, wfrank@altoonamirror.comUNIVERSITY PARK - The nation will be watching tonight when Penn State and Illinois open their Big Ten Conference schedule under the lights at Beaver Stadium.
While a sellout crowd of more than 107,000 jams the nation's largest collegiate stadium for the 8 p.m. kickoff, others will begin their day many hours before that.
"It is a long day for everyone involved in the game day operation," said Jeff Nelson, assistant athletic director for communications. "The parking lots open at 8 a.m. That means all parking lot attendants will be out there for 12-plus hours before the game even begins."
The day is even longer for those on the law enforcement end.
"We are looking at a 20-hour event for law enforcement and public safety," said Assistant Chief Clifford Lutz of the Penn State University Police Department.
For those who are driving to University Park, getting into the parking lots for tonight's game should not be a problem.
"One of the positives of a night game is it helps spread out the traffic," Nelson said. "We should not have as many areas with traffic backed up than, say, for a noon game, when traffic is in a more compressed time frame."
Predicted rain showers also should not create a problem.
"It has been pretty dry, so the grass parking lots are in good shape," Nelson said. "It would take a substantial amount of rain to make for a real muddy situation."
However, fans who arrive late may be redirected to different lots than where they normally park and may want to consider - and police are encouraging - the use of shuttle bus service to get to the stadium.
Centre Area Transportation Authority's Game Day Football Shuttles are split into two routes - one serving downtown State College and the other serving Hills Plaza and other South Atherton Street hotels and businesses.
Shuttles will begin at 3 p.m. today and operate in both directions every 10 minutes before the game and every 20 minutes during the game.
